Lawrence Taylor Charged With Sex Crimes

NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor was charged with multiple sex crimes in New York yesterday.  This is stemming from his arrest in May for paying a pimp to bring a prostitute to his hotel room. 

Sex Crime Charges

The New York District Attorney charged Taylor with multiple crimes. The charges include 3rd degree rape and patronizing a prostitute. But it is the charges of endangering the welfare of a minor, sexual abuse and sexual act in the 3rd degree that could force Taylor to register as a sex offender.

The prostitute was a 16 year old girl. Taylor says he did not know she was only a child. He states that he asked a pimp to bring a girl to the room and assumed the girl would be legal age.

Lawrence Taylor Defense

Taylor's defense attorney didn't introduce any evidence to the grand jury and Taylor didn't testify either. However, Taylor's attorney says the defense is more than Taylor's account of the incident including a woman that says he spoke to the 16 year old girl who said that she didn't have sex with Taylor.

NFL Retirements

While OTAs are the beginning of newly drafted rookies' careers and providing the first taste of NFL life, this is also the time when retirements are announced.  Most of us expect Brett Favre to waffle on a yearly basis, there are others great, well known and appreciated players hanging up their cleats with no expectation of coming back to play for a old rival. 

Isaac Bruce

Isaac Bruce was traded back to the St. Louis Rams so he can retire as a Ram, the team that drafted him in 1994.  After 16 seasons, 4 Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl Ring, Bruce announced his retirement Wednesday.  He set virtually every receiving record for the St. Louis franchise and ranks at the top of all-time receivers: 2nd in receiving yards (15,208), tied 2nd in yards per catch (14.9), 5th in catches (1,024) and 9th in receiving touchdowns (91). 

Isaac Bruce was part of "The Greatest Show on Turf" and caught the game winning touchdown pass down the sideling from Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXIV.  The Rams plan to retire his number 80 jersey during the October 31 game against the Carolina Panthers. 

Next stop, Canton and the Hall of Fame.

Muhsin Muhammad

Another receiver announced his retirement today.  After 14 seasons, all with Carolina except for the three with the Chicago Bears, Muhsin Muhammad is also hanging up this cleats.  Drafted in 1996 in the second round, Muhammad was voted to the Pro Bowl in 1999.  After Steve Smith was drafted, the two complemented each other were paramount with the Panthers reaching the Super Bowl in 2003.  Though his career is short of a Hall of Fame career, no one will ever slight his performance and importance on the Carolina Panthers.